Alternate Ending
by schneeflocke1
Summary: While I loved the bittersweet ending to the series, it left me wanting more. This is for everyone else who also wanted a happy ending.


A/N & Disclaimer: Don't get me wrong—I loved the original ending of the Legend series. I thought it fit perfectly, but it left me wanting more. So here it is, an alternate ending that follows the events of the main story's final chapter, and replaces the current epilogue. This will be a short, 2-chapter piece, rated M for content in the second part. I don't own these characters. They belong to Marie Lu, the mastermind behind this wonderful story.

**DAY**

I glance absentmindedly out the window of our chopper as we begin crossing the Atlantic Ocean toward Ross City. Eden sits beside me, playing a game on his new tablet. It was a parting gift from the Republic along with his glasses. His vision is far from perfect, and he still has to squint to see the icons on the screen. But considering that he was virtually blind two weeks ago, I can hardly ask for more.

I turn to watch him. He's busy building shapes and structures out of blocks. For his latest project, he is recreating some medieval castle he read about. His nimble fingers slide across the buttons with ease.

"Quit watching me, Daniel. You're making me nervous." Eden pauses the game and scowls at me.

"Sorry." I smile. I'm glad he's here to distract me. The past two weeks haven't been easy. I'm alive, but I was out of it for five months, useless and stuck in a coma. Worse yet, my memory went haywire after the surgery. The entire last year is a complete blur to me, and my head pounds when I try to think about it. I guess I can't complain, though. At least I remember the important stuff, like Eden and Tess, yeah?

I turn my attention to the wiry ring on my finger. For some reason, I can't shake the feeling that I've lost something important, something in my mind that's just out of reach. I twist the ring out of habit. Where did I get it from? Every time I see it, a wave of aching desire rushes through me, robbing me of my breaths and shattering my heart into pieces.

It is worse today. Much worse. The pain intensifies with each passing second, with each mile we travel. I clench my hands into fists and close my eyes, but the outline of the ring is burned into my mind. I can't escape it.

I take a deep breath as I start to feel the sting of tears. I swallow hard, willing them away. They don't relent. They well up against me, poking at my feeble eyelids, and I'm defenseless. I let out a strangled sob and reach to wipe away the sudden influx of emotions that threatens to ravage me. I can't let Eden see me like this. What will he think? I turn away from him.

"Daniel?" I feel Eden's small hand on my shoulder. Damn. What the hell is my problem? I can't even keep my goddy composure when I should be happy for my little brother. Antarctica asked for _him_ and I'm the one tagging along. Instead I'm crying like a baby, and I don't even know why.

"Are you okay?" he asks. "What's wrong?"

I can't hide from him anymore. He's a smart kid and he can tell when I'm lying. I open my eyes and let the tears pour out from their meager confinement. It's such a relief, so freeing. I take Eden's hand and shake my head. "I'm sorry, Eden," I choke out between sobs. "I don't know why, but I feel like I left something in LA. Something I can't live without." I stare at my ring again, afraid to look at my brother. Nothing that's coming out of my mouth right now is making any sense.

"Daniel." Eden holds my face in his small hands and turns me toward him. Except I'm the blind one now, and I can't see his expression through misty eyes. "You did leave some...thing back in LA." He sounds uncertain as he wipes away my tears. "She said not to say anything…" he mumbles under his breath.

"What do you mean?" I ask. "Who said not to say anything? About what?" Eden's face comes back into focus. He is watching me with such a conflicted look. "I asked you about this ring and you said you didn't know anything about it… That was a lie, wasn't it?"

Eden nods, his lips set into a hard line. "I'm sorry. There's this girl. You saw her two weeks ago at the hospital just before your release." The memory tugs at me instantly. The Republic officer with a high ponytail… She acted like she knew me, and I didn't understand why. I remember thinking how lovely she was, and how she made my heart race. I never imagined there was another reason for my reaction other than her beauty.

"She gave me this," I whisper. My fingers graze over the elegant ring.

"Yeah, and she has one too. You gave it to her a long time ago."

My heart feels ready to leap out. I take a deep breath and try to contain my irritation. "Why didn't you tell me?" I manage.

"You didn't remember her, and she asked me not to say anything to you. She said it was for the best, that being with her really hurt you."

Hurt me? I almost laugh. I can't possibly feel any worse than I do now. The pain of losing her stabs at me, and the pain of forgetting her stings infinitely times worse. I _need _her, and I don't even know… "What's her name?" I ask. I can barely utter those few words without breaking down.

"June Iparis, the Republic's prodigy. She's pretty famous."

"June…" The sound of her name sends shivers down my spine. A new wave of tears rush to my eyes. Eden needs me more than anyone right now, but all I can think about is June. And no matter how many times I tell myself to keep it together, I can't.

"Hold on, Daniel, I'll be right back." Eden unclips his buckles and gets up before I can protest. I lean over to see him head for the cockpit. There he talks to the pilot, but I can't hear anything from where I'm sitting. What is he thinking? It's dangerous! I want to shout after him. I can't think clearly, and my sorry attempt only results in a weak grunt. To my relief he returns not even a minute later with a wide grin plastered on his face. "We're going back to LA!" he announces proudly.

"What? What about you? You're going to miss orientation if we go back now." Even as I say all this, I'm swelling with joy inside. I don't dare admit it to Eden, though. I'm his older brother, I think to myself. I should be the one helping him, not the other way around.

"How many times have you changed your plans for me?" Eden asks with folded arms, lecturing me like _he's_ the older one. "You went through so much to save me before. At least let me return the favor." His lips curl into a smug smile. "Besides, I'm smart, you know. I'm sure Drake or another university in LA will be happy to have me."

"Eden… Thank you so much." I don't even know what else to say. The sickening knot in my stomach untangles the moment I feel the chopper turning. "Tell me everything you know about June," I ask my brother. He nods with a knowing smile.


End file.
